Here's your Chat Sports Week 11 MLB Power Rankings:
30. Chicago Cubs (Last Week: 28)
The Cubs drop back to the last spot this week. Chicago needs to make some moves in the upcoming draft on Thursday, and the Cubs also need to make several key free agency moves. While Chicago is unlikely to make a run for any postseason berth, this season is very important for the new management of the club. If the Cubs can make some positive personnel moves, the team can look forward to realizing some of its potential in 2015.
29. Arizona Diamondbacks (Last Week: 30)
The Diamondbacks put together two series wins against the Mets and the Padres last week, moving them up a spot in our rankings. Paul Goldschmidt continues terrorizing pitchers, but the Arizona pitching staff is deflating the team with a combined 4.43 ERA.
28. Tampa Bay Rays (Last Week: 24)
The Rays continue to spiral down our rankings. Injuries have diluted Tampa Bay's pitching staff, and the Rays are only hitting .243. Joe Maddon will have to become a magician quickly to turn this club around.
27. Philadelphia Phillies (Last Week: 23)
The Phillies are facing a situation very similar to the dilemma in Tampa Bay. Luckily, Philadelphia has the advantage of playing in a much weaker division than the Rays. However, the Phillies are still going to have to make things work in a hurry if they're going to change the fate of their season.
26. Houston Astros (Last Week: 29)
The Astros are still a long way from the top, but Houston shows an incredible amount of potential with their stockpile of young talent. George Springer has been showcasing his talents as one of the best young players in the Major League, and his six homers at the end of May show that he can absolutely drive the baseball.
25. San Diego Padres (Last Week: 25)
The offensive production in San Diego is minimal. The Padres are only hitting .223 as a team, which is the worst in all of Major League Baseball. It will be interesting to see what kind of moves San Diego will make to remedy this problem.
24. Minnesota Twins (Last Week: 16)
The Twins are still very much in the race for the AL Central. If they want to be serious contenders in time for the postseason, they'll need to add another arm that can add some spark to their rotation...which is currently tied with San Diego for the league-worst ERA at 4.43.
23. New York Mets (Last Week: 26)
The Mets aren't the worst-hitting team in baseball, but they're not that far from it. New York is hitting a dismal .235 so far this season. Things have got to change at the plate if the Mets want to see success any time in the near future.
22. Boston Red Sox (Last Week: 27)
The Red Sox move up in our rankings despite getting swept by the Indians, thanks to the seven-game winning streak that came before the series in Cleveland. David Ortiz is the only player able to hit the ball out of the park right now, as he accounts for 12 of the team's 44 home runs.
21. Cleveland Indians (Last Week: 22)
The Tribe have been on a roll lately. Cleveland is in a very tight division where there's currently no favorite - all the teams are within five games of each other. The Indians' offense is often underrated, as they sport the fourth-best on-base percentage in the league at .329.
20. Kansas City Royals (Last Week: 17)
The Royals are also in the AL Central hunt, but they are going to have to learn how to produce runs. Kansas City has only scored 227 runs, which currently ranks them 21st out of 30 teams. The Royals have still found ways to win though, with a dominant bullpen that shuts down opposing lineups.
19. Pittsburgh Pirates (Last Week: 21)
The Pirates have had trouble finding runs this season. Pittsburgh has only scored 226 runs this season, but they've found great success in molding starting pitchers. Charlie Morton is flying way under the radar because of his record, but he's posted a respectable 3.31 ERA. If you can't score runs, it's very hard to win games, even when you have good pitching.
18. Cincinnati Reds (Last Week: 15)
The Reds are still hurting without Joey Votto in the lineup, but you can't help but be in awe of the jaw-dropping performance that Johnny Cueto has put on this season. Cueto's ERA is 1.68, which is the best in Major League Baseball. If Cueto continues, you can be sure he'll be more than just a Cy Young candidate.
17. Chicago White Sox (Last Week: 20)
The White Sox have had no trouble scoring runs this season, and Jose Abreu leads the pack of a spectacular group of rookies that will eventually become the core of this team. Abreu has already hit 17 home runs, even with spending some time on the disabled list. It will be exciting to see what he can accomplish in the future.
16. Miami Marlins (Last Week: 18)
The Marlins have crept into second place in the NL East behind Atlanta, and they continue to win games. Giancarlo Stanton's numbers are ridiculous so far, and you have to think he'll be a worthy candidate for NL MVP.
15. Washington Nationals (Last Week: 14)
The injury-plagued Nationals continue to stay afloat in the weak NL East, but they are slipping. The once-praised starting rotation has since become lackluster, and Washington is having to plug some gaps that weren't expected.
14. Texas Rangers (Last Week 13)
The Rangers have had trouble with their pitching staff so far this season, and Yu Darvish has been the only reliable part of the rotation. Offense, however, hasn't been a problem for Texas this season, as the Rangers are hitting .265, fourth-best among teams in Major League Baseball
13. Seattle Mariners (Last Week: 19)
Seattle has put together a solid 2014 campaign so far, but the Mariners are still over five games back in their division. Robinson Cano has become more of a contact hitter, but he's definitely contributed his share, hitting .330 so far this season.
12. Colorado Rockies (Last Week: 8)
The explosive Rockies have taken a stumble recently, losing two of their last eight games. Colorado still possesses the best offense in baseball, leading in almost every batting statistic there is to offer.
11. St. Louis Cardinals (Last Week: 7)
The Cardinals, like the Rockies, have also faced a harsh week. St. Louis has won just three of their last 10 games, something they'll have to fix if they want to catch a good Brewers team. Adam Wainwright continues to impress and will likely end up on a Cy Young ballot.
10. Los Angeles Dodgers (Last Week: 10)
The Dodgers are one of the better teams in baseball, yet they still trail the San Francisco Giants by seven games in the NL West. I think this gap will eventually close as the season continues, creating a very interesting race going into the Fall.
9. Baltimore Orioles (Last Week: 9)
Nelson Cruz has been easily the best free agency signing of the year so far, already belting 21 home runs this season. Cruz has been absolutely electric at the plate this season and has been an important component to the Orioles' success. Baltimore is fighting with the New York Yankees for second place in the AL East.
8. New York Yankees (Last Week: 12)
The Yankees bust into our top 10 this week, and New York has sent Carlos Beltran to begin his rehab assignment. Beltran has been an important part of the Yankees lineup, and New York is ready to welcome him back with open arms.
7. Los Angeles Angels (Last Week: 6)
This year has been a great comeback season for Albert Pujols. After an injury-riddled 2013, Pujols' bat has returned to usual form, already blasting 14 home runs. This, along with Mike Trout, has provided a great spark at the top of the lineup for the Angels.
6. Detroit Tigers (Last Week: 4)
The Tigers lead the tight race in the AL Central. While AL MVP Miguel Cabrera has been productive, he's still not back to his usual self. Victor Martinez currently leads the team in both home runs and RBIs. The Tigers need to shake off this recent skid and get back to their winning formula.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (Last Week: 11)
The Blue Jays have been on an absolute tear lately, winning eight of their last ten games. If this lineup continues to hit the way it has been, Toronto could run away with the AL East this season. This team is a prime candidate to sneak into the postseason this Fall.
4. Atlanta Braves (Last Week: 3)
Believe it or not, the Atlanta Braves have one of the worst offenses in baseball. The Braves have only scored 199 runs so far this season, which puts them in front of only the San Diego Padres. How have the Braves continued winning? The answer is easy: Atlanta has the most complete pitching staff all of Major League Baseball.
3. Milwaukee Brewers (Last Week: 5)
I had my doubts with the Brewers' success early, but Milwaukee has been proving me completely wrong. The Brewers' rotation has put together 40 quality starts already this season, which is second only behind the Atlanta Braves.
2. Oakland Athletics (Last Week: 1)
The A's continue to lead the AL West, and there's no doubt as to why. Oakland has scored 301 runs already this season, making them the most productive offense in all of Major League Baseball. This combined with good starting pitching has been the secret to the A's success.
1. San Francisco Giants (Last Week: 2)
The Giants take the top spot in this week's rankings, and San Francisco continues to win ball games. The Giants don't have the best hitting numbers, but they do score plenty of runs, which leads to wins. San Francisco possesses a vast amount of depth in their lineup, making them the toughest team to compete with in the Major Leagues.
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